Social Interactions of the endangered albino pigmy polar bear

All I feel like saying right now.

Kind of wishing I hadn't. Huge let down. It really just wasn't fun to watch, even if it was pretty faithful to the source material.

Ok so at 4:56 am, I receive a phone call. My dad's younger brother passed away. He went sometime last night. He had trouble breathing then was gone, we are still waiting on details.

In the past few years this side of the family has lost my dad, my grandma and my uncle. I have one uncle and an aunt remaining.

I feel really bad for my uncle as he has had to see his wife pass as well, and that was like 6 years ago today. So I would better he is having a really rough time.

I am not really upset right now, just kind of mildly shocked. He wasn't all that old (50's), but he has had a large history of health issues, including a stroke and diabetes. He was mostly blind and largely immobile. He used to ride his lawn mower to his favorite restaurant down some of the most dangerous streets in town... and he couldn't really see.

At my grandmother's funeral he very plainly said "I don't have much time left". And he didn't.

We weren't really close, for the most part, with that side of the family I am pretty distant, except for my now one remaining uncle on that side of the family.

Strangely, yesterday I was thinking of how many deaths I have seen in my nearly 28 years, and some that came before. I have lost quite a few people. I am not going to count, but I think I may have come close to averaging a funeral a year.

Sadly, one of the thoughts going through my head is that I really hope the funeral isn't Monday, as I don't want that day permanently linked to my birthday in my mind.

Not so sure that I am going to work today.

Seriously, never did one of these before

ONE: Put your music player on shuffle.
TWO: Post the first line (or line-ish) from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
THREE: Strike through the songs after they're correctly guessed.
FOUR: For those who are guessing, looking the lyrics up on a search engine is CHEATING!


I think this may be tough. If between my LJ and facebook half of these are gotten I will be shocked.

1. You think you're gonna take her away

2. Ion displacement won't work in the basement

3. We bombed again today

4. Staring into the intersection

5. No sun will shine in my day today

6.This is the place where I made my best mistakes

7. Oh, my baby, my baby, she don't want me no more

8. Although my head looks frightening

9.Well hush, there'll be no more tonight

10.This morning under awaking glow

11.try and tell us our future's at stake

12.There's a solitary man crying, hold me

13.Your greetings a sinister smile

14.Pretty soon now, you know I'm gunna make a come back

15.Well, I could see by the way that she danced with me

16.I am cowboy kim Cowboy kim I am

17.So things are not the same Cut all loss and walk away

18.So let's hit the streets tonight

19.Got to remind myself that this is what I love to do

20.There's a light on a hill That's far out in the distance

21.Late at night, when it's dark and cold

22.Papers in the morning, Bowler hat on head

23.How would we have known we would wash away

24.She prays to the man with the twin in the mask

25.I saw your hand as I left the scene, that one more don't look at me like that ever again

The first half of my week was pretty amazing. We had this group of kids at work that bonded with me really strongly. Great kids, tons of fun, smart, never made me mad. Great teacher too.

I am not sure if I have ever felt so good about myself. Amazing what 70 little people hanging on your ever word and wanting your attention that is a huge ego boost.

Kinda felt bad for the rest of the staff though, as the kids all wanted to be with me, and during meals instead of going to the person running the meal on the last day, for instructions, they kept coming to me. It was hilarious.

Don't think I have ever had so many pictures taken of me either.

So here is to Heineman class 3, with a gold star for group 2.

The best job ever.

At the jerkstore!

Ok, not really, it is out in the great wide open. Trees, bees, kids on field trips.

3 months ago I posted about a tour I had landed. Tonight was the night. I needed about 100 people to break even on a $10 door cover.

52 showed up. My town sucks. But I couldn't be happier, I got to see a band I have loved for a decade, they put on a fantastic show, and all 52 of those people were happy and enjoyed it. It reminded me why I got in to this in the first place.

So it was a good place to end. I am no longer a concert promoter. After around 8 years and many trials and tribulations, I am done. Might do a show here and there that I want to do, but I am no longer the one keeping our scene going.

I couldn't think of a better way to end. My first show was ska and pop punk, my last show was and with a band I truly love. I haven't been this happy in years.

So thank you to Mustard Plug, Deals Gone Bad, The Reggie, and the New Disasters.

Current Mood: Happy as fuck
Current Music: The ringing in my ears

I am 27, going on 28. I have had headache problems all my life, tons of allergies and stomach problems. Kinda got used to it.

Now I have to take medicine because my blood pressure is too high. The hits keep coming.

Got my tickets!

Today I officially stepped down from my booking duties at the ELB. This is the first time I have given up booking on my terms. I have been stressed, depressed and very unhappy lately, and it is all because of this thing I love. I am still going to run sound and do some promotion, but the business side is over for me indefinitely. The door is open to come back, and I will likely still book a show here and there when I get something I feel I have to do. But day to day, I am done.

It is a weird thing for me, but I really need the break. I am going to work on other projects for now, and see what happens. I already feel a lot less stress, even with the biggest show I have ever done looming. I am going to end with that show, Mustard Plug, and Deals Gone Bad. I have wanted to bring Mustard Plug to Rockford since I started booking 8 years ago, and that gets to come true. SO if it ends, it is a good way to end.

Below is a message I sent to a new local band trying to get started. They asked for advice, and I like the kid who asked, I ended up kind of venting. I want to have this someplace I will remember it. I need it. it follows:



The best advice I can give? Don't be like every other band in Rockford. Much as I love them, man, none know what they are doing. I try to help and they just go do stupid things.

Can ya tell I am kind of frustrated?

One of the most important things, try not to play a local all ages show more than once a month or no one will care. When you first start out you can play a few times a month to build a fan base, but once you get regulars coming to your shows, BACK OFF, play less, so then they want to see you and it is kind of an event. If you play all the time they think "well, I can see them any time, it doesn't have to be tonight", then no one comes ever again.

This has killed just about every band in Rockford, especially since the Rockbox, then the Wire opened. Both are milking the scene dry so they can have 2 or more shows a week for a market that cannot handle it. We don't have a band in town that can come close to being a headliner now because of crap like this. So they are forced in to it, and when n one watches every one scratches their head and goes "well, why did that happen?"

I have been involved in this scene a long time(a decade now, cripes I am old), and it has always had highs and lows, but this is the absolute lowest it has been.

If we get some good new bands who use their heads it may turn around, but we are getting to the point where it'd be better to salt the earth, and let it start again from the beginning.

Don't let me discourage you though, I am seriously bitter, piss, and kinda depressed lately over this. It isn't easy to watch something you love, and have put so much time in to suffer and die like is has been. It is like our scene has cancer. It really has me in a bad mindset these days.

That said, come in, play and be one of the bands that gives me hope again.

-Steve

Current Mood: aggravated
Current Music: Streetlight Manifesto

A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks
Creek

The thing you push around the grocery store
Cart.

A metal container to carry a meal in
Lunchbox.

The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in
Frying pan.

The piece of furniture that seats three people
couch9with a sofa or Davenport now and then).

The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof
Uh ... I don't know. Gutter, eves

The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening
Porch.
Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages
Pop

A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup
Pancake.

A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself
Sub

The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach
trunks

Shoes worn for sports
sneakers, or just shoes.

A flying insect that glows in the dark
Lightning bug.

The little insect that curls up into a ball
I think I need a visual aid here.

The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down
Teeter-totter or see saw

How you eat pizza
I don't much now days, lactose intoelrance. But normally point first. Square slices are too confusing, where do you start?

Where private citizens sell their household goods/stuff in their driveway/front yard
Garage/yard sale.

The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are
Basement.

The thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places
Water/drinking fountain.

Not exactly a secret, but since October, life has been pretty stressful. Got in to a car accident, was ok, but the van, not so much. I had to swerve to miss an idiot, hit a truck, that suffered no damage. Cop told me it was my fault because the guy who caused it left the scene and some one had to be responsible. Huzzah. It got thrown out of court and my insurance covered it and didn't go up, but it was a pain in the ass.

Had a temp job. A good one. They wanted to bring me back full time potentially. Good pay, great benefits. But because I work with a church youth group doing community events I got burned. Uh huh.

Speaking of those, they haven't been going well, and I am stressed out to no end, and came very close to just closing that door on my life. Something I would regret at some point in my life.

Flat tire, got that fixed and an oil change. 2 days later I spun out in the snow and almost ended up going backwards onto one of the busiest streets in town. The next day coming home, my breaks went out. Got those fixed, all new lines were needed. The valve gasket and water pump were next. Fixing those, they found the serpentine belt was ready to go.

A day after we get it back we find out my mom's breaks are ready to go, the coolant needs to be flushed as does the transmission fluid. YAY!

These are the major points until today, at least the ones coming to mind, not including my panic attack or stomach flu.

Today we went platinum.

Some one has been racking up charges on my credit card. $5,000.

My friend brought his daughter over today. Selling the ole candy for school. $5 a bar now. WHAT THE HELL!?! It was like a buck when I was but a wee laddy.

Anyway, they hung around for a while. Andwe decided to bowl a game on Wii sports. We tried to get his daughter to play, who put down the Wii, said it was stupid and all this other stuff. Yay for deluded 6 year olds.

Anyway, she ends up saying this...

"Dad, some girls just don't like the Wii"


At which point we choked on laughter.

I think this year already has had more great music than last year. 4 albums have really blown me away so far. 2 came out today and are wonderful One last week, another a few weeks back.

The Spill Canvas - No really, I'm Fine

I knew Nick was a good story teller. I didn't know he could write songs this accessible and good. I had the pleasure to work with him way back. And he is a very nice guy. Couldn't be happier for him.

Ludo - You're Awful, I love you

Brilliant album title aside, this band is pretty freaking awesome. Part Tub Ring, Part Motion City Soundtrack, with a hint of soaring 80's hair solos. Some very unique songs, some very strong pop songs. Great album.

Flogging Molly - Float

If you know Flogging Molly, you know what to expect, except they reigned it in, made it tighter, and stronger. Still dripping with Celtic goodness, with a hint of punk and traditional arrangements. Great stuff.

Murder By Death - Red of Tooth and Claw
Musically outstanding, lyrically superb, vocally...kind of weak for Adam on a few tracks, but mostly good. I swear it got to him that every review said he sounded like Johnny Cash on the last record, so he did his best not to this time. Unfortunately, on a few tracks he sounds like Grover doing a Johnny Cash impression instead. Still a fine record. It was a tough road to follow up on In Bocca Al Lupo, but they did a fine job for the most part.

I would like to say I am surprised at the outcome, but not really. Basically if you have taken philosophy or Earth science the slightest bit seriously, this was how it would come out. It isn't hippie for me, it is higher education. Which scares me, as the two should never cross over.

What type of hippie are you? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as One Intelectual Individual You're a thinker. You see things from a very different prospective than the rest of the world, and probably find release and self-expression in music, painting, scalpting, or any other form of art. People see you as a deep person, full of knowledge that they don't understand. People are attracted to that, but there's a good chance you don't care. One Intelectual Individual 63% New Age Hippie 38% Not a Hippie 25% Earth-Child 25% Original Hippie 25% Pothead 0%

GO Now
Jan. 11 set could be the last
By Jonathan Bradley

GO.RRSTAR.COM

This time last year saw my budding romance with my fiance really starting to take off. I thought to myself, “What better way to kick off 2007 than with a blooming relationship with someone I’m falling in love with?”

Fast forward to the present, and I realize how much things have changed. That “budding relationship” has evolved into an eternal bond, and I’m riding a wave of wedding planning into 2008. Wow.

I’ve just found out that I will be transferring out of Rockford for work after accepting a promotion, and this is all to take effect very soon. Wow.

On Jan. 11, I will perform what is to be my last set, and it will be at the ELB. Because I will be working outside Rockford and very possibly be moving as a result, coupled with the not having any insight as to what my schedule will be like, I cannot count on being able to plan any shows.

What better way to formally usher in the new year than coming down to the ELB on Third Avenue in Rockford on Jan. 11? Darkhouse Productions will be on site recording the show for a probably live album (pending the quality of my performance).

I guarantee that if there is a great turnout, I will not disappoint. That’s a promise you can take to the bank (not literally). As always, some free Arizona Tea will be available for worthy showgoers. See you there.

Note: Please stay tuned to GO Now for a feature article on the Oregon-based band Matter of Fact.

Jonathan Bradley of Cherry Valley (myspace.com/sonicjonathan) is an aspiring musician who writes and blogs for GO Now.

Lots of things have been frustrating me lately. So last night I unloaded on live journal. It felt pretty good. But a weird thing happened. My mind wouldn't shut off, I wanted to keep writing.

That may not seem so odd. But I haven't had motivation to write in years. I was once a would be English major thinking of journalism as a career while doing fiction on the side. Then I just couldn't write a damned thing. Ideas came, but when I tried the faucet just stopped flowing. It wouldn't even give me a drip. I sat frustrated.

Around 5 this morning I couldn't sleep because a story was going through my head. Some thing I have kind of thought of before, and tried and failed at many times.

So I grabbed a note book and a pen. I ended up with a page so far. The only reason I stopped was because my stomach was killing me.

I have a plot outline in my head, and have the ending scene ready to go. I just need the middle, and I will have my first fully fictional short story in about 6 years. Everything I have written since that time was largely biographical, with some minor embellishments, and at times, and more often, I brought them to a more grounded base, because the actual experience was so ridiculous that people didn't believe it as a story.

It feels good. I do hope I can finish.

if I get the short story I may try and find an artist to turn it in to a comic book of some kind.

Current Location: the assgrove
Current Mood: inspired